Monday, 5 June 2017

Policemen as Soldiers



Police parade in Luton, c.1912 [Z1306/75/19/13]

Tuesday 5th June 1917: Two more Luton Borough police officers have volunteered for military service, bringing the total number who have left the Borough Force to serve in the army to fourteen. At the beginning of the War there were 52 police officers in Luton, and the increase in population means that figure should now have risen to 60, but only 36 are now available, including the Chief Constable. The County Divisional Force is also suffering from an acute manpower shortage. It should have a strength of 25 men, but ten have left for the army and two are absent through illness. There are no unmarried men left in either Force. Police Superintendent Panter has paid tribute to the work of the special constables; without their assistance it would be impossible for the police to carry out their work with so few officers.

Source: Luton News, 7th June 1917

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